Divided car-axle and journal-box.



No. 722,786. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1903.

W. P. WESGOTT, Jn. DIVIDED GAR AXLE AND JOURNAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED D30. 10, 1902.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

WILLIAM P. WVESCOTT, JR., OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

DIVIDED CAR-AXLE AND JOURNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,786, dated March17, 1903.

I Application filed December 10, 1902. Serial No. 134,609. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. Wnsoorr, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Jersey City, county of Hudson, State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Divided Oar-Axlesand Journal-Boxes Therefor, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a transverse sectional view showing the center box and oneof the end boxes in section; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the centerjournal-box; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view thereof on the line 3 3of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a detail plan view of the bearingbrass of the centerbox; and Fig. 5 a detail side elevation of the center box, showing thebearing-brass connected to the pivot-pin of the lid.

In mine-cars of the usual construction the axles are mounted injournal-boxes and the wheels are loosely mounted thereon to permit thoseat one side of the car to rotate independently of those at the otherside thereof. This is necessary because of the very sharp turns in thetracks in the mines and the impossibility of properly grading the tracksat the curves. In this construction it is practically ,impossible tolubricate the wheels, and consequently the axles are very soon worn andcut to such an extent as to render them unsafe. This undue wear on theaxles is a source of constant tronbleand expense; and it is the mainobject of this invention to obviate this expense and difliculty and toprovide a car-axle which will permit the wheels on opposite sides of thecar to turn at different speeds or to be independently locked againstrotation and at the same time provide proper journal-boxes to reduce thewear on the axles to a minimum.

Another object of this invention is to provide a divided car-axle and torigidly secure a wheel to each section thereof near its outer end, acenter journal-box being provided to receive the inner ends of the twosections, said inner box being so constructed as to efliciently supportthe ends of the axle-sections and to prevent them having any unduesidewise movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a center journal-boxinto which the bearing-brass may be readily'inserted and withdrawnWhenever desired.

The axle is divided at its middle to form the two sections 1, and theadjoining inner ends of these sections are supported in a journal-box 2,which is suitably bolted to the under side of one of the car timbers orbeams at the transverse center of the car. This box is composed of acasing formed of one casting and provided with the flanges 3, by whichit is bolted to the car-timber. The vertical sides of this casing areapertured at 4 for the passage of theinner ends of the caraxle sectionsand to permit the bearing-brass 5 to be inserted therein above the axle.The exterior of the journal-brass is made angular, (as shown in thedrawings it is semihexagonal,)' and the'upper edges of the transverseapertures in the journal-box casing are formed correspondingly angularto receive the angular journal-brass. It is obvious that the exterior ofthe journal-box may be of any desired angular formation and that theupper walls of the apertures in the journal-box casing may be ofcorresponding shape. The purpose of this is to prevent any rotarymovement of the brass on the axle.

The side walls of the casing 2 of the center journal-box is formed withthe shoulders 16,

on which the lower ends of the side portions of the journal-brass 5 mayrest when the axle sections are withdrawn from said box. The sides ofthe journal-brass 5 of the center box are extended below the horizontalcenter of the axle-sections to prevent the corners of said brass fromcontacting with the journals. It will be readily seen that in mine-carsfitted with divided axles of this character the inner ends of saidaxle-sections will necessarily have considerable vibration. Therefore ifthe lower corners of the bearing-brass were at the horizontal center ofthe axles or above it they would be constantly jammed against the axle.This would soon destroy the brass and injure the journal.

Extending laterally from one end of the brass 5 is a lug 6, which liesclose against the outer side of the journal-box casing and is aperturedfor the passage of a retaining-pin 7, a cotter-pin being passed throughsaid retaining-pin to secure the brass in place. Of course any suitablemeans may be employed for securing said brass in place in the axlebox.The means shown is simple and efficient and permits of the readywithdrawal of the brass from the box, it being simply necessary toremove the cotter-pin, and the brass may be drawn from the box. It isobvious that the lug 6 may be in such a position as to be engaged overthe pivot-pin 9 of the lid 9, if desired. In this way the retaining-pin7 may be dispensed with. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 5 of thedrawings.

The lubricating material is passed into the chamber of the journal-boxthrough the opening 8 at one side thereof, said opening being closed bya suitable lid 9, which is pivoted between the flanges 10" on the casingand is held yieldingly closed by a spring 10.

The inner ends of the car-axle sections are separated a slight distance,and between them is inserted a wearing washer or disk 11 of suitablecomposition, said disk being held against lateral displacement by meansof a loose rivet 12, which passes longitudinally through the center ofsaid washer and into a central aperture in one of the axle-sections. Asthe purpose of this pin is merely to prevent the sidewise displacementof the washer, it will be readily understood that it is not necessary topermanently secure said pin to the axle-section.

The outer ends of the axle-sections are mounted in j0urnal-boxes l3,which contain bearing-brasses 14, which bear on the ends of the axle.The axle ends are reduced at the point where they contact with thesebrasses to form the shoulders 15, which take up the endwise thrust andprevent any undue independent endwise movement of the axle-sections,said shoulders bearing directly against corresponding shoulders formedin the bearin g-brasses.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a car-axle divided at its middle each sectionthereof carrying a wheel rigidly secured thereto, the inner ends of saidsection being in axial alinement and close together at the transversecenter of the car, a journal-box for said adjoining ends, a bearingbrassin said box, and extending through one side Wall of said box, and meansfor detachably connecting said brass to the box.

2. The combination of a car-axle formed in two sections each sectioncarrying a wheel near its outer end, the inner ends being in axialalinement and close together, a center journal-box for the inner ends ofsaid axles said box being formed with a transverse aperture in one ofits side walls, a bearing-brass adapted to be inserted in said boxthrough said aperture, and means without the journalbox for detachablysecuring the brass in position in said box to prevent the endwisedisplacement of said brass.

3. The combination of a car-axle formed of two sections each sectionhaving a wheel rigidly secured thereto near its outer end, the innerends of said sections being arranged axially in line with each other, ajournal-box for said inner ends, a bearing-brass in said box, one end ofsaid brass extending through an aperture in one side wall of said box,the brass and the aperture being of substantially the same outlinewhereby any movement of the brass around the journal will be prevented,and means for securing the brass against endwise movement through thebox.

4. The combination of a car-axle formed in two sections each sectionhaving a wheel rigidly secured thereto near its outer end, the innerends of said sections being in axial line, a journal-box for said innerends, a bearing brass in said box, the sides of said brass extendingbelow the horizontal center of the axle, means for preventing theendwise movement of said brass through the journal-box, a wearing-washerinterposed between the inner ends of the axle-sections, and a pinloosely connected to said Washer at its center and extending looselyinto a socket formed in the center of the inner end of one of theaxle-sections.

5. The combination of a car-axle divided at its center a Wheel beingrigidly secured to each section thereof, theinner ends of said sectionsbeing in axial alinement and close together, a journal-box for saidinner ends, a bearingbrass in said box the exterior of said brass beingangular in cross-section and adapted to fit an aperture of correspondingangularity in one side wall of the journal-box, and means outside of thejournal-box for detachably securing the brass to the box, whereby thebrass may be readily removed through the aperture in said box.

6. The combination of a divided car-axle, each section carrying a wheelrigidly secured thereto, the inner ends of the sections being in axialalinement and arranged close together, a journal-box for said innerends, a bearing-brass within said box, the exterior of said brass beingangular in cross-section and fitting an aperture of correspondingangularity in one wall of said box, a lug formed on said brass outsideof the j on rn al-box, said lug being apertured for the passage of aretaining-pin, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a car-axle formed in two sections, each sectionhaving a Wheel rigidly secnred thereto the inner ends of said sectionsbeingin axial alinement and arranged signature, in the presence of twowitnesses,

close together, a journal-box for said inner this 6th day of December,1902.

ends, a bearing-brass in said box, the exterior of said brass bein anular in cross-section and the sides of said b rass extending below IWVILLIAM WESOOTT 5 the horizontal center of the axle, and meansWitnesses: for securing said brass to the journal-box. FREDERICK D.HERBERT,

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my WM. R. DAVIS.

